


We Fall In Love 'Til It Hurts

by Hollyspacey



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Flirting, Idiots in Love, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Second Chances, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-04-21 01:38:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4809986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollyspacey/pseuds/Hollyspacey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started in New Mexico. Puente Antiguo was rebuilding, Thor had gone home, and SHIELD was all up in Jane’s science. And Darcy made some bad decisions with the cutest SHIELD agent around.<br/>So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when, four years later, her past starts catching up with her. Or that it isn’t always a bad thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Guys. I struggled so hard on this one, mostly because I have such a deep love of the human disaster that is Clint Barton, and I feel like I am not doing him justice. But I need this out of my WIP file, so here we go.
> 
> Un-beta'd, so all mistakes are my own.
> 
> As always, feel free to come bother me on my [Tumblr](http://hollyspacey.tumblr.com) at anytime! :)

2011, Puente Antiguo

 

"So, I guess we got upgraded, huh?"

Agent Barton raised a questioning eyebrow at the girl who was staring at him. Foster's intern, Darcy Lewis.

"Well, you know, we usually get Agent Jones or Agent Stephens as our babysitters and they're both complete idiots as far as I can tell. No offense, but SHIELD really dropped the ball with those two. But then all of a sudden we get you, the super scary secret agent man, the most jack-booted of all the thugs. Plus, it's obvious Coulson likes you best."

Agent Barton just smirked at her, "Are you saying Coulson plays favorites?"

"Oh, absolutely. I can tell because I'm one of his favorites too."

"Oh really now?"

Darcy nodded, solemnly.

"And how do you figure that?"

"Well, sometimes when I talk to him I can almost get him to show an emotion," Darcy said, eyes widening mischieviously.

Agent Barton let out a rough laugh. "Well, if that's true, you may just be his number one."

She shrugged, "I so am. He finds me exhausting, but charming, I can tell."

"I get the feeling a lot of people feel that way about you."

She grinned, "I am so gonna take that as a compliment. First Coulson, now you. Soon I'll have all of SHIELD on my side, ready to do my bidding." Darcy gave an evil laugh, tapping her fingers together.

Clint let out a chuckle, "And what are you gonna do once you have us all in your evil clutches?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you that. Let's just say I am full of dark, demented schemes."

"Oh, I have no doubt."

Darcy just shrugged, "What can I say? This town is boring and I need a hobby. Daydreaming about world domination seems as good as any."

"Well, I won't argue with you about this town. Is there anything to do besides count grains of sand?"

Darcy shuffled her paperwork while thinking it over, "Hmm, Izzie's is cool. Good food. Interesting clientele. Oh, and there is a bar about a block away. Super sketchy, but a really good place to go if you're looking to make a bad decision."

Clint lifted an eyebrow, "Oh, really?"

"Yep, they make very strong drinks and that's where all the horny locals hang out. I've had some very questionable makeouts there." She gave him a shrug with a shameless grin.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"You should. At the very least, it's a good place to kill some time."

Their conversation was interrupted by a beeping, causing Darcy to jump up and grab a notebook, "Well, duty calls. Glad you're here, Agent. I already like you best." She shot him a big smile and skipped away to write down the test results. Clint just shook his head, amused at the lab assistant. Maybe babysitting duty wouldn't be so bad after all.

Clint became a fixture in the lab after that. Not a day went by when he wasn't sitting on the countertop, watching Jane and Erik work, and talking to Darcy. Their personalities were so similar, they found the same things funny, and had lots of similar interests. They just connected.

He told her stories about the circus and she told him stories about her childhood. He brought her coffee and she burned him cds with personalized playlists. Quite unexpectedly, they became friends.

Not that that didn't stop them from flirting up a storm with one another. Both of them had a natural charm, but together they were just ridiculous. Double entendres, Darcy dramatically leering at Clint when he wore something with short sleeves, and flirty winks from him when he said something inappropriate.

Darcy was not blind. She could clearly see how attractive Clint was, and suspected he felt the same towards her. But that's where it ended. It seemed as though they were both all talk, no action.

One day, Darcy was watching an old episode of Dog Cops on her laptop when she noticed that Clint wasn't in his usual perch to her left. She glanced around to see him sitting in a stool in the corner behind her, completely absorbed in the show. She paused it and scooted her seat to the side. "Stop being a weirdo and come sit with me if you want to watch."

He frowned, "I'm working, Darcy. I can't watch TV." Darcy let the arch of her eyebrow show that she didn't believe him for a minute. He shook his head and let out a deep sigh, heading over to flop into the office chair beside hers. Darcy shoved some of her candy over to him and he settled in to watch the show.

As a rule, Darcy liked to be as comfortable as possible at all times. So, it wasn't long before she realized that if she shifted her chair just a little she could swing her legs over Clint's. She reclined back in her chair, waiting for him to shove her legs off or call her out, but all he did was rest his hands on her legs.

Which was probably a bad idea, because now all Darcy could think about was the heat of his large hands through her leggings. She forced herself to concentrate on the show, but then Clint began gently rubbing her calf with one hand and her knee with the other. It shot tingles directly up between her legs. She glanced over and noticed a ghost of a smirk on his face.

Oh no. Two could play this game.

Darcy casually pulled her arms over her head into a long stretch, making sure to push the girls out, thankful she'd worn her good bra and discarded her thick sweater earlier, leaving her in a thin tee. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his head shift just a bit. Success! She ended the stretch and glanced over at him, reveling in the little frown on his face.

At this time, Darcy would have normally been patting herself on the back, but Clint was not going to let her win so easily. Nope. He continued kneading her calf with one hand while running his other up and down her leg. His hand never strayed too high, just a couple of inches above her knee, but it was high enough. Then he shifted his hand down on to her inner thigh before running it down again. Darcy failed to completely cover the little gasp that left her mouth.

Clint was full on smirking at this point, so Darcy knew she'd have to up her game. She and Clint had been harmlessly flirting for weeks, but now this was war. Darcy shifted her legs until they were resting firmly against his crotch. That very crotch that she then rubbed her leg against. Clint let out a cough before sitting up a little straighter.

Point for Darcy.

She was contemplating her next move when Jane began calling her name from across the lab, jerking her out of the moment. Darcy pulled her legs off his lap and scrambled out of her seat to hurry over to Jane. She heard Clint chuckling behind her as she tried not to blush.

The next day, Darcy was curious as to how Clint would act around her. After their little moment, they'd managed to not be alone together the rest of the day. Darcy was in the middle of inputting some of Jane's data when she noticed a presence standing beside her. Clint leaned over her desk, grinning when he saw how she was trying to ignore him. "So, tomorrow night."

Darcy raised an eyebrow and looked at him without raising her head, "What about tomorrow night?"

"I was thinking about hitting up that bar-of-bad-decisions, and I figured since you are familiar with it, maybe you could come with me. Be my tour guide to a night of reckless behavior."

Darcy glanced back down at her laptop, biting her lip to hide her grin, cursing the blush she could feel blossoming on her cheeks. "Yeah, I might could do that," she said in a soft voice. She finally looked up at Clint, glad to see the hungry look on his face. Ok, so that was new.

The next night, Darcy was just finishing getting ready when she heard a knock at the door. She took a final glance in the mirror and a deep breath and opened the door. Clint gave her a once over, giving a soft appreciative whistle. Seeing as she usually schlepped around the lab in leggings and baggy sweaters, Darcy had decided to up her game for their little night out.

She was wearing her favorite dress, blue, fitted, just low-cut enough to get anyone's attention. And it seemed that it had caught Clint's. Clint wasn't wearing his usual gear either. He had switched out his SHIELD costume for tight jeans, black t-shirt, and a leather jacket. And he looked good. Darcy grabbed a cardigan and they walked out into the cool desert night.

They traveled down the street, Darcy filling the silence with stories about Thor's first day on Earth. When they arrived at the bar, they found a table in a corner and Darcy climbed on her stool while Clint went to get their drinks.

A voice to her right caught her attention, "Darcy, right?"

She looked up to see a guy who'd kept hitting on her the last time she and Jane had come into the bar. A total creeper who apparently didn't have the word "No" in his vocabulary. Darcy groaned. She nodded and pulled out her phone, pretending to text, all the while hoping the guy would get the hint and leave. Instead, he slid onto Clint's stool and put his hand on Darcy's arm. "I haven't seen you in here in a few weeks. What you been up to?"

Darcy slid her arm out from under his hand, "Please don't put your hands on me unless you have express permission to do so. And for the record, you will never have permission to touch me."

The guy threw up his hands, "Hey, calm down. No need to get so upset, you can't come in here dressed like you want to be hit on and then get mad when a guy hits on you."

"Eww, gross. That is so creepy, I don't even have words. No, wait, I do. I didn't come in here to be hit on by assholes who don't know how to take rejection, no matter what I'm wearing. And I'm certainly not interested in being hit on by you. I told you last time to leave me alone and I'm telling you again. Go. Away."

"Now come on-"

The guy was cut off by Clint coming up to stand by the table. He sat down their drinks and stood looking at him, "This guy bothering you, Darce?" The guy started to protest, but Clint clapped his hand on his shoulder, not too gently, and stared down at him. Clint had on his Agent face and his voice had gotten deeper, a warning that he was not to be fucked with.

The guy looked at him and back at Darcy, who was watching with a smirk and sauntered away, mumbling under his breath. Darcy shot a cheerful 'Bye!' at his back and watched as Clint sat down. "I could've taken care of that guy, you know. Not the first time I've been hit on by a sketchy dude in a bar.”

"I know, but you shouldn't have to. Plus, he was in my seat."

Darcy just rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink. Clint gestured at her glass, "I hope you enjoy that. I was embarrassed to go up there and order it. What even is a cosmo?"

She grinned, "That's partially why I ordered it. I liked the imagery of you going up there and ordering a fruity pink drink. Also, it's tasty. Wanna try?"

Clint smirked, "No, I'll stick to my beer."

"Your loss. So tell me, does this bar of bad decisions live up to the hype?"

"Dunno. Haven't made a bad decision yet."

"Give it time. I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Oh, I'm planning on it."

The look on his face sent a rush of heat through Darcy's body. She swung her legs, gently nudging his, "I have no doubt. You're a resourceful guy. If you need any help, just let me know." His eyes grew dark as their legs tangled together under the table. Darcy and Clint continued their friendly banter as the bar continued to fill.

After their fellow bar-goers started to crowd in on Darcy, she scooted her stool around the table so she was against the wall and closer to Clint. The band started playing a country song and they laughed at the drunk people grinding and stumbling around the dance floor area.

Clint ordered them another round and came back, scooting even closer to Darcy. He put his arm around her as they watched the people around the bar. He twirled some of her hair around his finger, "You look really nice tonight, Darcy, " he said, glancing down at her body.

Darcy placed her hand on his thigh, "You don't look so bad yourself, Barton."

Clint's already dark eyes got darker as she squeezed his jean-clad thigh, feeling the muscles under her hand. Clint's hand moved to gently rub the back of her neck as he took a sip of beer, never looking away from her. Darcy continued her thigh-squeezing, laughing when Clint looked away from her and shifted on his seat.

"Are you trying to kill me, girlie?"

"Trying to. Is it working?"

"Yeah, I'd say so."

Darcy grinned and moved her hand higher, draping it softly across the rapidly hardening front of his pants. Clint placed his beer bottle down, accidentally slamming it harder than he anticipated. With a choked voice, Clint barked, "You wanna get out of here?"

Darcy bit her lip and nodded. He grabbed her hand and led her through the bar. When they got outside, he pulled her against him and walked until her back was against the wall, his body just barely touching hers. "You are so bad, you've been teasing me for days."

"I have. Maybe I need to be taught a lesson."

Clint growled and grabbed the back of Darcy's neck, cradling the back of her head as he kissed her. Their tongues clashed and rubbed against each other as Clint leaned his body against hers. She could feel his arousal nudging her hip and she pushed forward, grinding slightly. "Nope, gotta go. Can't do this here. C'mon, girlie."

Darcy leaned against him, arm looped through his, and they walked briskly back to her trailer. When they got to the door, Darcy pulled away from him and pasted an innocent look on her face, "Well, it's late. I'm gonna go to bed. I had fun."

A look of surprise and disappointment flashed over Clint's face, but he nodded. "Uhh. Ok, good night, Darce."

She then reached out and touched his chest, "Let me clarify: I'm going to bed with you."

He grinned down at her and nodded, "Yes ma'am."

They barely had the door closed behind them before their mouths met again. Clint backed her up to the door and ran a hand up her side to cup her breast before sliding back down to the hem of her dress. He skimmed his fingers over the skin on her thigh, feeling her soft skin. Slowly, he ran his hand up until he was cupping her center.

A groan fell from his lips when he felt how wet she was through her panties. She responded by rubbing against his hand, her breath turning shaky. Pulling her underwear to the side, he slipped a finger in between her legs, dragging along her center, rubbing her clit gently before slipping into her wet heat. He added another finger as he stroked inside of her.

Fingers still moving in a steady rhythm, he ground his palm into her clit. He could hear Darcy’s breath hitch and he increased the pace of his fingers. She started making little breathy whimpers and he crooked his fingers up, hitting her most sensitive spot. She came with a strangled, “Fuck.”

Her legs unsteady, Clint held her pressed against the door until she recovered enough to stand on her now only slightly shaky legs. Darcy grabbed his shirt, pulling him down to give him a rough kiss before pushing back gently on his chest until he stepped back a little.

In a quick movement she ripped her dress off and threw it to the floor, standing before him clad only a lacy bra and panties. Clint moved just enough to look her up and down, his eyes darkening. “Fuck, Darcy.” His hands went up her sides, slowly coming up to cup her breasts. He looked up to see her biting her lip, then slowly, never taking her eyes from his, she reached behind her and unhooked her bra.

It fell to the ground and Darcy could have sworn she heard Clint growl. He pressed her into the door once more, kneading her breasts as he bit along her neck. Darcy ran her hands along his back, dragging one around his waist, and down to the waistband of his jeans. She tucked a finger inside the waistband, rubbing his bare skin.

With a twist of her hands, she had his jeans unbuttoned as she slowly slid the zipper down. She slid her hand down to run her fingers along his length. Giving him a gentle squeeze and a sneaky smile, she withdrew her hand.

Darcy placed her hands on Clint’s chest, pushing him back until his knees hit the old futon. She fumbled with the bottom of his shirt until he yanked it off. She then gave a pointed look to his jean clad legs, until he got the hint and pulled them off, chuckling. Once he was stripped down to his underwear, Darcy gave him a gentle shove.

He sat on the couch looking up at her expectantly. She put one knee down on the couch beside his thigh, then the other, until she was straddling him. The only parts of their bodies that were touching were their legs until Darcy leaned down to kiss Clint, nibbling on his lip. He reached up to brush his thumb around her nipple and Darcy groaned into his mouth. She lowered herself slowly until she was straddling him.

With a small twist of her hips, his erection was pressed against her. She made a little sigh as she rocked herself against him. Clint lowered his head and took her nipple in his mouth, running his tongue over the sensitive nub. He bucked his hips up into hers. Him, hot and pressing, and her, soft and slick.

In a swift movement, Clint had her flipped back on her back as he settled between her thighs. He tugged her underwear off as she pulled his down enough so he could kick them off. Clint dipped his head to kiss her, calloused hands rubbing her breasts. His dick bumped against her clit, eliciting a soft moan from Darcy. She arched her hips up to create more friction between their bodies.

In a shaky voice, Darcy managed an, “I’m on the pill,” and with a nod, Clint lined up their bodies and thrust into her. Darcy made a strangled gasp and dug her fingernails into those dreamy arms of Clint’s. He gave her a pleased smirk before beginning to move inside her.

Darcy wrapped a leg around Clint, breathless at the way he seemed to be hitting all the right places. His hand moved between them to rub against her as he thrust, his calloused fingertips teasing. It wasn’t long before she came, a moan on her lips, and fingertips digging into his arms.

His movements quickened until he came with a stuttered groan. He collapsed against her, holding her close so he could kiss her forehead, “Well, that was nice.”

She giggled as she burrowed against him, “I’ll say. You learn all that working for SHIELD?”

He pinched her side, “Believe it or not, that wasn’t part of the recruitment.”

Darcy clucked her tongue, “Well, that’s a shame. Seems like a real missed opportunity if you ask me.”

Clint just smirked and nuzzled her neck. Darcy squeaked as he hit a ticklish spot, jumping up and crooking her finger at him, “C’mon big boy, I need a shower and so do you. Conserve water with me?”

Clint did not need convincing as he leapt up, following her into the tiny bathroom.

Darcy strolled into the lab the next morning smiling and humming her favorite song. She brought over a plate of food to Jane, kissing the top of her head as she walked away. Jane looked up from her work suspiciously, as she took in Darcy’s grin, the humming, and the extra pep in her step. She set her notebook aside and narrowed her eyes at the intern, “Ok, who was it?”

Darcy whirled around, smirking, “Who was who?”

“You have on your ‘I got some last night’ face. So who was it?”

Darcy bit her lips and casually reclined in her chair. She gave a quick glance around the lab, making sure the agent standing just outside the door was not paying attention to them, before answering gleefully, “Clint.”

Jane frowned, “Who?”

“Clint?” She gestured around the lab.

Jane shrugged. Nothing.

“You know. Agent Barton?”

Jane shook her head. Darcy mimed flexing her muscles, “You know, the one with the arms.”

Realization dawned on Jane’s face, “Ooh, yeah, _Arms_!”

Darcy laughed, “Yes, _Arms._ Also known as Clint. Let’s just say those arms are even more magical up close. Many parts of him are magical, actually.” Darcy sighed dreamily.

Jane nodded appreciatively, she may be smitten with Thor, but she wasn’t blind. “So is this a one-time thing or what?”

Darcy shrugged, “No clue. I hope not. Jane. I’m mystified by how good that man is at giving orgasms. Like, I can’t even hate SHIELD anymore. My new fave super secret government agency. 10/10, would recommend.”

Jane just nodded, “Well, I suppose I can’t fault you for your reasoning.”

 

Darcy and Clint were lying on the roof one night, just talking and staring at the stars. And occasionally making out, but whatever.

Suddenly, Clint frowned and looked down at Darcy, “I’m not good at boyfriend stuff.”

Darcy just gave him a slow blink, “Okay. I’m gonna need you to elaborate on that.”

“Y’know. Boyfriend stuff. I just thought I should tell you that I don’t do the whole boyfriend thing. With my job and everything, I’m just not cut out for all that.”

She shrugged, “So, we stay friends with benefits. I’m cool with that. Besides, I’m not even sure that I want a boyfriend right now. My life is crazy enough as it is.”

“So, this thing that we have, it’s ok? It doesn’t have to change?”

Darcy poked him, “Yes, it’s ok. We don’t have to be anything we don’t want to be.”

Clint just gave her a small grin, “Good. Now tell me all about these ‘benefits’ you mentioned earlier.”

She gave him a cheeky grin and slid her hand to the top of his thigh, “It’s probably better if I show you.”

Later, Darcy would think back to that moment on top of the roof and wonder if, even then, she realized how wrong she was. If in that moment she really believed that she could kiss this man, touch him, and not fall madly in love with him. That she could neatly pack away all of her feelings and not drown with wanting something that wasn’t hers. Something she said she didn’t even want.

And so they continued their little game, the one with long days full of flirtation, conversations that never waned, and stolen kisses in the lab. Those days giving in to nights on the rooftop where they laid out all of the stuff that made them who they were, Clint telling her about Barney, and how messed up his family had been, and the way things had fallen apart with Bobbi, Darcy telling him about how her parent’s divorce had affected her and her older brothers, and all about the ill-advised fling she’d had with her professor freshman year.

Things beyond their basic facts, things not everyone knew about.

Those same nights full of exploring one another’s bodies, limbs tangled together, and what seemed like endless orgasms. Darcy didn’t even realize that she should have been counting down her days until the end.

 

She’d been texting Clint all morning, getting nothing more than a few stilted, one-word answers. She’d figured he was busy, but when she didn’t get a response from the picture she’d sent of her with her skirt hiked up, she figured she’d check up on him. Agent Stephens glanced up when she walked into the temporary SHIELD housing where Clint was staying, but he made no move to stop her or ask why she was there. _I told Clint he was an idiot_ , Darcy thought.

She made her way to Clint's room and found the door open. She knocked on the doorjamb and peeked inside. What she saw made her stop short.

Clint was packing his bags. He paused as he looked back at her before continuing to zip up his pack.

"Hey," Darcy said in a curious voice.

"Hey."

"What's going on? Are you-- leaving?"

Clint continued gathering his stuff, as if he never heard her. There was a tension spiking the air, as if he were mad at her, or just wished she’d go away.

"Clint."

He stopped, still not looking at her, "I've been reassigned, I have to leave in a few minutes."

"Leave, like for good? Or are you coming back?"

"For good."

Darcy paused, feeling a heavy weight settle in her stomach, "Where are you going?"

"You know I can't tell you that. It's classified."

Darcy drew her eyebrows together, trying to process the fact that he was leaving, just like that. "Were you planning on telling me before you left?"

"I was gonna get Coulson to give you a letter."

Darcy let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, "A _letter_? What was it gonna say? 'Gosh, Darcy, I've really enjoyed fucking you these past few weeks, have a good life. Barton out.'? I thought we were... friends and you were just gonna jet out of here without even saying goodbye? That's cold, Barton, even for you."

Clint sighed, "Darcy, I made a mistake. I should have let you know from the beginning how it was going to be. I work for SHIELD, I never stay anywhere too long, I've nearly died countless times. I'm just not cut out for romance. I had a lot of fun with you these past few weeks and I wish it could be different, but it's not.”

Darcy let out a humorless laugh, “You and I both know that’s total bullshit. I didn’t go into this expecting much. I knew we were just having fun and I never asked anything more of you than you were willing to give. But you walking away and not bothering to say goodbye? That’s really shitty, Clint. And don’t act like my expecting the common fucking courtesy of a goodbye is me being dramatic or something.”

Clint just stared at his bags and shook his head, “I’m sorry, Darcy. This is just how it is.”

Darcy nodded, “Yeah, I guess so. Have a good life, Clint.”

With this, she turned on her heels and stormed out of the housing unit, not stopping until she reached her trailer. She slammed the door behind her and threw herself on the bed, shutting her eyes against the tears that threatened to flow.

She should’ve known this was coming. She _did_ know this was coming.

She wasn’t lying to Clint when she said she went into their little fling not expecting much. But somewhere along the way, real feelings snuck up on her. She’d fallen for that ridiculous man. And he somehow thought it was acceptable to sneak out of town without so much as a goodbye. Darcy was frustrated beyond belief. But she put on her brave face and went back to work like it was an ordinary day, like her entire world hadn’t just tilted out of balance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Y'all_.
> 
> Your comments have been so lovely. Seriously, love you guys. :)

From then on, Darcy made it a point to be as cold and impersonal as possible to whatever SHIELD agent was currently on duty. Sure, what had gone down between her and Clint wasn’t their fault, but it made her feel better. Plus, all that initial distrust that she’d had towards SHIELD came back, and she doubted whether there was anything even remotely noble about the organization. 

As much as Jane and Darcy would’ve loved being out of SHIELD’s reach, it didn’t seem likely to happen. Which meant that an early morning phone call beckoning them to Norway didn’t come as  big of a surprise as it probably should have. Darcy and Jane just obediently packed their things and boarded the private plane, knowing good and damn well that refusing would end badly. And hey, at least they were getting paid for it. 

When they arrived at the observatory, Jane threw herself into her work. Darcy, of course, was suspicious of SHIELD’s motives. Why the sudden need to have them out of the country, tucked away in some remote, frozen village? 

It wasn’t until the news reports from New York started coming in that Darcy realized some major shit was going down. The moment she saw Thor swinging his hammer at aliens, she turned on her computer and went to work. For a secret government agency, their security systems were stupidly easy to bypass. 

Darcy pulled up the files for what happened in New York. Read all about Thor’s brother wreaking havoc yet again, about something called the Avengers Initiative, and saw Erik on top of Stark Tower, working the machinery that opened up a fucking wormhole. 

And Clint fucking Barton, bow and arrow in hand, shooting aliens. What the hell. 

She delved deeper into SHIELD’s files, read about Erik and Clint being abducted and ‘compromised’, whatever the hell that meant, as well as preliminary mental status reports. Darcy could piece together enough to get a pretty good picture of what had happened. Armed with the knowledge of what went down. she went to Jane to let her know that not only had Thor returned to Earth, but that things had changed irrevocably. 

Jane kinda fell apart at this point. To have Thor come back, only to leave again without so much as a ‘hello’ was devastating. So, Darcy tagged along, back to New Mexico, then on to London, where Darcy got her own taste of intergalactic battle. No thank you. 

When Thor relocated to New York to live with his ‘shield brethren’, Jane followed. And where Jane went, so went Darcy. Which was how Darcy found herself lugging a giant suitcase into the lobby of the newly christened Avengers Tower. Her new home. The only hitch in this otherwise wonderful plan being that also living in the Tower was one Clint Barton. 

There were so many conflicting emotions within her towards that man. She had really fallen for him in New Mexico, against her will. Which made her devastation at his leaving that much worse. Not to mention the fact that she hadn’t heard from him since she stormed out of the SHIELD quarters that day. 

Then she found out the full story of what Loki had done to Clint. How he’d been brainwashed and forced to kill against his will. She couldn’t stand the thought that he’d gone through that. The night Thor had told her, she’d taken a bottle of vodka into her room and gotten rip-roaring drunk, phone in hand as she repeatedly talked herself out of calling him. It wouldn’t do any good, and there was a very good chance he wouldn’t want to hear from her. 

So now, standing here ready to move into the Tower where he lived, she knew that at some point she would have to see Clint again. But at the moment she was playing ostrich, with her head firmly buried in the sand. 

She managed to get herself moved in without running into him. No doubt Thor had shouted from the rooftops that his lady love Jane was moving in, Clint wasn’t stupid and would surely know of her arrival. He was probably avoiding her just as she was avoiding him. 

The first few days were spent learning her way around the Tower and being introduced to Thor’s ‘shield-brothers’ and her new neighbors. Darcy was immediately enamored with them all. 

Tony was just as rude and snarky as she was, they immediately started insulting each other with big grins on their faces. Steve was just as sweet and charming as Darcy would have imagined, but also a sassy little shit. She liked that. Bruce was calm and gentle and Darcy hoped his reasonable nature would rub off on Jane. Maybe make her job a little easier. The only ones Darcy didn’t meet were the Black Widow and Clint. Which was a-ok with her. 

It wasn’t until the third day in the Tower that Darcy discovered why she hadn’t seen him. Jane waltzed into the lab and sat in the chair in front of Darcy’s desk, gaze firmly fixed in her notebook. Darcy looked up from her laptop and stared at her, “Yes?” 

After a moment, Jane started, and put her notebook down, “Oh! I had something to tell you and I got a little distracted.” 

Darcy just raised an eyebrow, “I see. What did you wanna tell me? Do you have gossip already?” 

“Not exactly. I just asked around, _very discreetly_ , and I found out that a certain Avenger with lovely arms is on a mission and isn’t supposed to be back until next week.” 

Darcy sighed a little sigh of relief, “So, I get a full week of calm before the shit hits the fan, is what I’m hearing."

Jane shot her a sympathetic smile, “Sorry. But at least now you know when to expect him.” 

“Yeah, I guess. Thank you for being sneaky for me. You’re a good bro, Jane. Now, go do science.” 

Jane grabbed her book and scampered off to do work, leaving Darcy with her thoughts. She had a full week to prepare for seeing Clint again. Oh boy. 

Two days later, Darcy was in the kitchen making lunch for Jane and Bruce. She opened the fridge to pull out sandwich supplies and when she closed the door, she nearly had a heart attack. 

Standing beside her, where no one had been moments before, was a stunning redhead dressed in all black. Darcy was pretty sure she could guess who that was, “Hello. You must be Natasha.” 

Clint’s partner and dearest friend. Lovely. 

One perfectly curved eyebrow barely lifted, “I am. Darcy Lewis.” 

“So no introductions are necessary. Kinda creepy, but ok. What can I do for you, Natasha?” 

Natasha looked her up and down in a gesture that was probably meant to be very intimidating, and if Darcy were honest, totally was. Darcy just straightened her spine and kept staring at the spy. Finally, the woman gave a tiny smirk, “I can see why he was attracted to you.” 

“Uhh, thanks?” Darcy turned back to finish making her food, barely pausing when Natasha jumped up on the counter beside her. 

“So what’s your plan?” 

Darcy glanced over at the redhead, “My plan?” 

“Yeah. Don’t you have some sort of plan on how you’re going to act when you see him again?” 

Darcy turned to the side to face her, “Nope, I was kinda hoping we could avoid each other, like, forever.” 

“I don’t think that plan will work so well. He is going to be excited when he finds out you’re here.” 

Darcy nearly dropped the piece of cheese she was holding, “Wait. He doesn’t even know I moved in here?” 

The redhead just gave a tiny smirk, “Not a clue. I wanted to be the one to tell him and he’s been on a mission for almost a month so I haven’t had my chance yet. He will be pleased, though.” 

“Somehow I doubt that. We didn’t exactly leave on good terms.” 

“Oh, I heard.” 

“I’m sure. Look, I haven’t seen, nor heard from the guy in almost four years, so believe me when I say I have very low expectations for this reunion. And why am I even discussing this with you?” 

Natasha studied her for a moment, “Be patient with him. He has terrible social skills.” 

“That’s not- no. I don’t think you understand. I’m going to have as little as possible to do with him.” 

Natasha nodded, seemingly having ignored everything Darcy had said, “You two will be good together. You have my blessing.” 

“Are you purposely not hearing me or is there some kind of language barrier here?” 

“I hear what you are saying, but more importantly I’m hearing what you are not saying.” 

Darcy arched an eyebrow, “Which is?” 

“You still have feelings for him. Don’t worry, he feels the same way.” 

“That’s not what he said in New Mexico. Or, more accurately what he didn’t say. He was planning on leaving without saying goodbye. Did he share that little tidbit with you?” 

“Like I said, terrible social skills.” 

Having said her piece, Natasha grabbed an apple and gracefully exited the kitchen, leaving Darcy standing at the counter with a half assembled sandwich in her hands and a look of confusion on her face. 

The next day, Darcy was in her bedroom unpacking her last few boxes from the move when JARVIS interrupted her, “Miss Lewis. You have a visitor in your living room.” 

She froze, “Uhh. A visitor? Now? In my living room?” 

“Yes, Miss Lewis. Should I tell them you are busy?” 

“No, that’s ok.” 

Darcy walked down the hall to her living room and looked around. There, standing in front of her, was Clint. Her eyes rushed over his body, noting that he still looked the same. Seeing him standing in front of her, Darcy felt a jolt of something unnameable rush through her body, and a part of her she didn’t even realize was frozen began to thaw. _Oh. I’ve missed this_. 

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, “How did you get in here?”  

Clint pointed up, “Air vent.” 

Darcy frowned, “But...why? You couldn’t knock? That’s kinda creepy, dude.” 

Clint hadn’t moved since she’d walked in the room, his eyes were drinking her in, “I do it all the time, I forget that not everyone’s used to it. Also, I didn’t know if you’d let me in and I needed to see you.” 

“Why?” 

“Why what?” 

“Why did you need to see me? It’s been nearly four years, Clint. I’m sure a super spy such as yourself would have no problem tracking me down in that time if you’d really wanted to see me.” 

“I did want to see you. I just didn’t know if you’d want to see me.” 

“So you thought literally dropping into my apartment would be a good idea?” 

Clint frowned as if the idea hadn’t even occurred to him, “I’m sorry. I can leave.” 

Darcy sighed, “No, it’s ok. I just wasn’t expecting you. I didn’t think you’d be back until Friday.” 

A small grin appeared on his face, “You been counting down or something?” 

Darcy scoffed, “Hardly. More like preparing myself.” 

A flash of something crossed Clint’s face, “Oh. I get it. But yeah, I caught the bad guys and got to come home early. Fresh off the quinjet actually.” 

He gave a little self-deprecating smile and gestured at the cuts on his face and at a cut on his arm that Darcy hadn’t noticed. “Clint! You’re hurt. Do you need to go to medical?” 

“Naw, I’ll be ok. I’ll just patch myself up later. Told ya. I just wanted to see you.” 

Darcy sighed and pulled out a kitchen stool, motioning towards it, “Sit. I’ll be right back.” 

Darcy went to the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit. She stared into the mirror before turning back, taking in the flushed look on her face. Clint Barton was sitting in her kitchen at this very moment. The man who had unknowingly occupied a spot in her heart for so long was back. She was not prepared for this. Nothing could have prepared her. 

She forced herself to take a few calming breaths, straightened her spine and walked back to the kitchen. Clint gave her a smile when she entered the room again, causing her heart to do a tiny flip. _Stop this, Darcy._ She pulled open the first aid and turned to examine the cut on his arm, glad to see it looked superficial. She motioned for him to take off his shirt and he shot her a grin, “Tryin’ to get me naked already?” 

She rolled her eyes and hoped that he wouldn’t notice the flush that had crept over her body at his words, “Yes, because nothing turns me on more than dirty, injured men falling from my ceiling.” 

“Well, looks like you’re in luck today, girlie.” 

She stuck her tongue out at him to cover her grin. It wasn’t a feeling she liked, this falling back into their familiar rhythm, but it felt inevitable somehow. Darcy cleaned and bandaged the cut on his arm and turned her attention to the various scrapes and scratches on his face. Her hands skated across his skin, Darcy avoiding the dark look in his eyes and trying to ignore the way his breathing had sped up. Kinda the way she was absolutely ignoring the way her heartbeat had stuttered and her own breath had quickened. 

When she’d cleaned the last scrape, her hand sat against his cheek. She knew she should walk away and stop touching him, but she simply couldn’t. She could feel the stubble under her hand, the warmth that always seemed to seep from him. Could feel the movement in his jaw as he swallowed. Her eyes met his and she let out a shaky breath when she saw the look he was giving her. 

His hand reached out to gently sit against her hip and he leaned forward ever so much, giving her plenty of opportunity to step away. But Darcy was frozen. She felt her head tilting up as he closed in the space between them, his lips barely brushing hers. With a growl in his throat, he pushed forward and kissed her. 

It was just as Darcy had remembered, and yet, somehow better. His tongue slipped into her mouth and tangled with hers. Her mind shut off as she fell into the feeling of his mouth against hers, but it switched back on when she realized that this was a terrible idea, that she had gone through too much heartbreak to let it happen again. She couldn’t fall down that hole again. 

Darcy pulled back, breathless and stared at him. He held on to her with steady hands, “Darce. I have missed this. I’ve missed you.” 

He leaned in to kiss her again and she shook her head. In a shaky voice, she said, “I can’t, Clint. I can’t do this again. I’m sorry. Just go, please.” 

His face fell for a moment before he composed himself with a nod. He stood to leave and paused at the door, “I get it. I’m sorry too, Darce. For everything. You deserved better than that.” 

With that, he walked out of the door. Darcy sat on the stool he’d just vacated, laying her head on the counter. This just didn’t feel right. She’d waited for her chance to tell him off, throw his actions back in his face, and make him regret leaving her all those years ago. But she’d had him right in front of her, and she hadn’t wanted to do any of that. In fact, all the bitterness and anger she’d held on to so tightly had just faded away. 

Not that she wouldn’t always be upset about the way things had gone down, but there was some part of her that kept telling her to let it go, to find some good in the situation, maybe make the same mistake she’d made before. Instead of doing any of the things her traitorous mind was telling her to do, she crawled into bed, turned on some cartoons, and fell into a fitful sleep. 

The next day was spent holed up in the lab with Jane and Bruce. It was one of those days she would be lucky to get Jane to eat a full meal, she was on to something _extraordinary_ again. Finally, she was able to escape for a coffee break that afternoon. She walked down to the common area kitchen as she’d scoped out all the coffeemakers her first day, and that one was the best. 

Walking in, she found that the kitchen was already occupied. Thor was using his newfound microwave skills to make himself some food, and sitting at the table was Clint. Darcy gave them both a wave, briefly meeting Clint’s eyes. She hurried over to the coffeemaker and started brewing a fresh pot, enough for herself and some to take back to Jane and Bruce. 

Thor and Clint were swapping war stories, tales of great battles, and the evil they’d conquered. Darcy just rolled her eyes with a fond grin. Boys. Their storytime was interrupted when Natasha crept into the room to collect Clint for their sparring session. 

Darcy busied herself with her coffeemaking, by all appearances oblivious to the others in the room. Natasha, of course, would not allow that, and sidled up close to her, “Hello, Darcy.” 

Darcy hesitantly looked over at her, surely she’d heard what happened when Clint had stopped by the night before. But surprisingly, the redhead didn’t look mad. She had that same curious, appraising look on her face, but there was no animosity at all. “Hey, Natasha. Would you like some coffee?” 

“No thank you.” 

She gave Darcy a small smirk and exited the room, throwing back a quick ‘goodbye’ to her and Thor. Clint followed behind, “Bye, Thor. Darce.” Darcy glanced back after he’d left, a small frown on her face at the nickname. She wasn’t sure quite how to feel about that. 

Now, the thing about Thor was, he wasn’t stupid. Sure, sometimes Midgard stuff confused him, and Darcy caught herself explaining pop culture references and slang to him on the regular. But he was a smart guy. So, when the kitchen cleared, and it was just him and a sullen, frowny Darcy, he knew something was up. “What bothers you this day, Lady Darcy?” 

Darcy just shrugged and turned back to pour herself some coffee. She could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head and turned around. He raised an expectant eyebrow and Darcy sighed, carrying her coffee over to the table. He sat across from her and she spilled her guts, telling Thor all about being with Clint in New Mexico and then how things fell apart. When she was finished, Thor nodded, thinking over her predicament, “Do you still have feelings for Clint?” 

She nodded miserably, “Yes.” 

“Then I do not see the problem.” 

“The problem is I’m afraid of letting him back in if there’s a chance he’s gonna leave again.” 

Thor patted her gently on the arm, “My dear Darcy, that chance is always there. It should not stop you from being with someone that you care for, especially when that person also cares for you, as I can clearly see my shield-brother does.” 

“You think?” 

“I do think.” 

Darcy smiled at him, “Thanks, big guy. I’m gonna have to start coming to you when I need good advice.” 

He laughed, “Know that I will welcome you when you do.” 

Darcy hopped up and gave Thor a quick hug, before grabbing Bruce and Jane’s coffee and heading back to the lab. Thor’s words ran through her head all afternoon. Along with Clint’s. And if she were being totally honest, their kiss, too. 

Darcy decided to follow her heart and Thor’s advice, which was what led to her standing at Clint’s door later that night. She took a deep breath and knocked. The door opened and there he stood, “Darcy?” 

She smiled and gave him a little wave, following him when he gestured for her to come inside. The sound of little nails clicking on the floor drew Darcy’s attention, “You have a dog?” 

“Yep. Darcy, meet Lucky.” 

She fell to her knees, always a sucker for a cute dog, “Aww, hello, Lucky. You’re a sweet puppy, aren’t you?” Darcy giggled as the dog flopped over for belly rubs. 

“Lucky, you bastard. You always get the cute ones.” 

Darcy mock-glared at Clint and watched him walk into the living room to turn down the tv. She followed him, sitting on the couch, petting Lucky as he loped along behind her. Clint sat on the arm of the chair, patiently watching, waiting for her to speak, “I didn’t come here just to pet your dog.” 

“It woulda been ok if you did,” he chuckled. 

She nodded, composing her thoughts. “So, I think that I owe you an apology.” 

He arched an eyebrow, clearly not expecting those words. “When you left New Mexico, I was really mad at you. Like, really, really mad. I felt betrayed and abandoned and a ton of other heavy, unpleasant emotions. But the thing is, it wasn’t really your fault. I mean, sure, the whole leaving-a-goodbye-note thing was super lame, but other than that, you did nothing wrong.” 

He shook his head, “Darce, I really should have handled it differently. I was kind of stupid about the whole thing.” Darcy ran her hands through her hair in frustration, “No, it’s not your fault, Clint. Back in New Mexico, I was wrong. About us, about everything. I thought I could handle just being friends with benefits, or whatever. I thought, ‘ _C’mon, Darcy. You’ve done this before. It’s just sex_.’ And for awhile, it was just sex. But then I realized what a great guy you are and I fell for you. I fucked it all up. But that wasn’t your fault, ok? You were very clear about where we stood with one another, I was the one who started blurring the lines.” 

Clint was staring at the ground, an unhappy look on his face, “You really fell for me?” 

“Well, yeah, you dummy.” 

He nodded, “I think we both fucked up. Darce, you have no idea how close I was to saying, screw it, and staying with you. But SHIELD was the most stable thing I’d ever had in my life, and when they said to go, I went. But now, I don’t work for them. I can make my own life.” 

He hopped off the chair and walked over to where she was sitting, pulling her up, “And I’d like to make it with you. I thought about you a lot since I left. I missed you, Darce. I wouldn’t have missed you that much if it had been just sex,” he pauses, sly grin on his face, “Although the sex was pretty unforgettable.” 

Darcy bit her lip and grinned back, “No arguments there.” 

“So, how ‘bout we start over? Pretend that us being apart all this time never happened? Or better yet, that they did happen, and they made us older and wiser so now we’re both going into this with open eyes?” 

Darcy met his eyes and thought about all the things they’d gone through, “I’d like that. But there have to be rules this time. I’m not gonna make some unreasonable demand, like you can’t ever leave, or that you have to promise this is a forever thing, or anything like that. I just need to know that if you are ever going to leave that you are going to tell me, like face-to-face. I have to expect honesty from you.” 

Clint stepped forward and looked at her with a fierceness in his eyes, “I would never do that to you again, Darce. To be honest, I was only going the note route because I was a coward. I felt like it might kill me to actually have to say goodbye to you. I kinda figured that I was the only one who was in that deep.” 

“No, I was very much in at that point,” Darcy grinned up at him. 

“Good to know.” 

“So, we’re doing this? For real this time?” 

“Yeah, I think we are.” 

Darcy bit her lip,  “Ok. But let’s get back to the whole unforgettable sex thing.” 

Clint’s eyes lit up as he pulled Darcy forward, into his arms, “Now, that sounds like a plan.” 

Their mouths met. Darcy nipped at his lip and Clint growled, “Oh, are we playing dirty, girlie?” She leaned forward to nip it again and Clint lifted her up and started carrying her into the bedroom, Darcy dissolving into giggles as he shouted at Lucky, “Stay!” Kicking the door closed behind him, he gently tossed her on the bed and stared down at her, hands on hips. 

Darcy sat up on her knees, eyes locked to Clint’s, and reached under her skirt to pull her underwear down. She lay back on the bed, slipping off the scrap of lace and tossing it at Clint. He caught it and stared down at Darcy all laid out, a dare in her eyes. With a grin, he tossed the underwear to the side and crawled up until he was between Darcy’s legs. 

He dragged a finger up her thigh, pulling her skirt up, and when she was exposed, he leaned forward. Darcy gasped as she watched Clint begin tracing his finger along her folds. When his tongue touched her, she thought she might melt in a puddle. This was one skill of his that Darcy had always appreciated.  With a few expert strokes of his tongue and fingers, Darcy came apart. 

She looked down at him with a grin and crooked her finger up in invitation. Clint slowly slid up her body and slotted himself between her legs. When their lips met, Darcy could taste herself on his tongue, and it quickened her movements to pull his clothes off. Clint pulled off her top and bra, taking his time to remember the parts of her that he hadn’t seen in so long. He nipped a line down her neck to her chest, swirling his tongue around her nipples. 

Darcy traced the lines of his body, those arms that had caught her attention back in that dusty lab, the muscles cording his back, and the various scars that tattooed his skin. She took his hard length in her hand and gave him a few gentle strokes as he explored her body. Soon, they were both naked and pressed together, Clint’s hardness nudging against her. 

Darcy arched up, and Clint took the hint, lining himself up and pressing into her. Their bodies slid together, falling back into the familiar rhythm they’d found all those years before. With roaming hands and breathy gasps, they came within moments of each other, both utterly happy. 

They lay tangled up together, after, Darcy tracing circles on Clint’s chest, “Can I just say that Natasha is very scary and also very nosey?” 

“Hon, you have no idea. She’s pestered me about you since I told her. She’s a pain in my ass,” Clint said with a fond grin. 

“She gave me her blessing, you know.” 

A deep laugh rumbled through Clint’s chest as he held her closer, “Told you, pain in the ass.” 


End file.
